Unchained At a Glance

Unchained At Last is the only nonprofit in the US dedicated to helping women and girls leave or avoid arranged/forced marriages and rebuild their lives. Unchained also is the only nonprofit in the US dedicated to creating social, policy and legal change to end forced and child marriage in America.

WHY DOES UNCHAINED EXIST?

Girls and women in many communities in the US often are pressured, tricked, threatened or beaten into marriage. And girls and women who face little or no choice when they enter a marriage typically face the same if they want to leave it: Often they are stymied by religious laws and social customs that make divorce seem impossible.

Unchained provides free legal services and emotional support to help women and girls leave or avoid arranged/forced marriages and rebuild their lives. At the same time, Unchained raises awareness and pushes for relevant legislation to protect women and girls in the US from coercive marriages.

WHOM DOES UNCHAINED HELP?

Unchained helps any woman or girl in the US, from any community, culture or religion, who is or has been pressured, bribed, tricked, threatened, beaten or otherwise forced into marriage — whether she has been married for several decades and has many children or she is facing an imminent or eventual arranged/forced marriage.

Unchained helps women and girls regardless of immigration, religion or income status (though some income guidelines apply for some direct services) and regardless of sexual orientation. Unchained helps those who identified as female when they were pressured or forced into marriage, or who currently identify as female.

Unchained also helps women and girls from the US who were taken to another country for an arranged/forced marriage, and women and girls who were brought from overseas to the US for such a marriage.

Unchained is an Organization in Special Status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council since 2017.

Unchained At Last is recognized by the IRS as a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization.